Plans to convert Ripon garages into homes approvedPlans to build three council houses at the sites of two disused garage blocks in Ripon have been approved.
Harrogate Borough Council’s housing team will build the properties at North Road and Church Close where many of the council-owned garages have sat empty for years and the majority are currently not in use.
The council said the plans would help tackle the desperate need for affordable homes in the district, although some residents raised concerns over the impact on the nearby roads.
At North Road, a garage block will be converted into a three-bedroom bungalow but nearby resident Christine Shepherd said she was worried about what the development would mean for traffic in the area.
Speaking at a meeting today, she said:
“Parking for the proposed building is opposite my gate where my disabled access is. It is a narrow part of road on a bend and we have to dodge cars coming out of the gate and the access road to the rear of Fremantle Terrace.”
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In response, an architect for the council said the development would in fact reduce the number of vehicles in the area due to the removal of seven garages and that highways officials had not raised any concerns.
At Church Close, a garage block will be demolished to make way for two three-bedroom semi-detached properties.
A petition against the plans, which had the support of 34 residents, was handed into the council with similar concerns over the loss of garage parking and increase in vehicles.
But council planners argued there was no demand for these garages and that although the roads can get busy with parked vehicles, a nearby council-owned car park provided for residents was underused.
Also at today’s meeting, a decision on separate plans to build three social rented homes at another site of disused garage blocks at Russell Dixon Square was deferred after a nearby resident raised concerns over access to her home.
It was agreed that the proposals would be revised before being brought back to the council’s planning committee at a later date.
Dresses fit for royalty adorn the aisles at Ripon CathedralA Century of Wedding Gowns at Ripon Cathedral features dresses from 1885 until the present day.
The collection includes a copy of the dress worn by Katherine Worsley for her marriage to Edward, Duke of Kent, at York Minster in 1961.
The exhibition’s curator is Kevin Thornhill, who worked for David and Elizabeth Emanuel on the famous long-train dress worn by Princess Diana for her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.
On July 29, to mark the 40th anniversary of that royal wedding at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, there will be two fashion shows at Ripon Cathedral.
These will feature a copy of the dress and tiara worn by the late princess.
The exhibition illustrates the nuanced changes in wedding gowns and accessories over more than five decades
Mr Thornhill said:
“During my time working with David and Elizabeth Emanuel in London, I was given the absolute honour of being a member of the team who made the wedding gown.”
The finale of next month’s fashion show will include copies of the gowns from the royal collection, including those of the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Margaret and Princess Anne, along with exact copies of the tiaras worn at the weddings.
Something old, something new …
As well as royalty, the exhibition has a local theme.
It includes the dress worn by Christine Wood on her big day, in May 1964, when she married at Ripon Cathedral. Mrs Wood, who lives in Harrogate with her husband, Tony, contacted the organisers after hearing about the exhibition and donated her gown for the display.
She said:
“Having thought that I had lost my wedding dress during a house move, it turned up in a box in the loft years later and I love the fact that my wedding dress will once again be inside the cathedral after 57 years!”
Christine Wood and her husband Tony, with the dress she wore on their wedding day in 1964
Other items that will be on show until September include a gown donated by Kleinfeld, New York – known for the TV programme ‘Say Yes to the Dress’.
Fans of TV show Downton Abbey will be able to see a copy of the Crawleys’ Downton Tiara, alongside a wedding gown from 1898.
A 1923 winter velvet wedding gown, handmade by Coco Chanel for a family friend, will also be among the 50 on display.
The exhibition will run until September and shows are being supported by the cathedral’s business partner, Raworths Solicitors of Harrogate.
Homes England submits final plans for 390 homes near RiponHomes England has submitted final plans for 390 homes near Ripon after previous developers pulled out of the scheme.
The site on West Lane, Littlethorpe, was bought by the government’s housing agency back in February.
The proposal already has outline permission after a government planning inspector approved the development following an appeal in 2018.
Now, Homes England has submitted design and layout plans for the site, which include public open space.
It also includes plans for 159 of the homes to be designated as affordable housing.
The site would see a mixture of one, two, three and four bedroom homes built.
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In documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the developer said:
“The proposals create a high-quality, memorable and distinctive residential development that is well connected to its wider context.
“The safe and accessible development will create a broad-based community in an environment that supports health and well-being.”
The borough council will make a decision on the development at a later date.
History of West Lane site
In 2018, Harrogate Borough Council granted permission to Barratt Homes on appeal for the development.
It was previously rejected in 2017 for being a “substantial intrusion into the open countryside” and its impact on nearby Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey.
The site layout for the West Lane development, as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council.
However, last summer Barratt Homes pulled out of the scheme.
The developer told The Stray Ferret that the decision was not related to the lockdown but in a year-end trading update, the company announced its revenue had fallen by 30% due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It means Homes England now has a major presence in the Harrogate district.
The developer already has plans submitted with the council for 200 homes at a former police training centre on Yew Tree Lane, Harrogate, and is working on a 1,300 home scheme at Ripon barracks.
Homes England also bought the 450-home Bluecoat Park site off Otley Road in Harrogate at the same time as it purchased the West Lane site.
It said the two developments had stalled for various reasons, including the “associated enabling costs” and that their planning permissions were due to lapse imminently.
Ripon’s Spa Hotel to reopen following saleRipon’s Spa Hotel has been sold for an undisclosed sum to The Inn Collection Group.
The 40-bedroom Edwardian hotel was on the market for a guide price of £1.5 million.
It has been sold on behalf of long-standing owners the Hutchinson family by Colliers International.
The property agents brought the hotel to the commercial market for the first time since it was opened in 1906.
Julian Troup, head of UK hotels agency at Colliers, said:
“This sale marks a new chapter in the history of the Ripon Spa Hotel, and I look forward to seeing this renowned Yorkshire hotel benefitting from the high-quality of refurbishment for which The Inn Collection Group is synonymous.”
The hotel will be refurbished by the new owners
He added:
“There has been a noticeable change of mood in recent months among potential hotel purchasers.
“Activity has significantly increased, and the Ripon Spa Hotel attracted a good deal of interest from a diverse range of buyers before being secured by The Inn Collection Group.”
Located on Park Street in landscaped grounds of 5.75 acres and including croquet lawns, the three-star hotel was built complete with its own ballroom to accommodate high society in the early 1900s when Ripon Spa was operating in the cathedral city.
It continued to trade successfully long after Ripon Spa closed in 1947, although the hotel’s Turkish baths were eventually converted into The Turf, a popular public bar and bistro with horse-racing décor to complement the hotel’s more formal dining room.
The purchase of the Ripon Spa Hotel by The Inn Collection Group increases to 24 the portfolio of the Alchemy-backed hospitality company, which is based in Northumberland.
Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, said:
“We are delighted to be welcoming the Ripon Spa Hotel into our portfolio.
“Its picturesque location in such a popular part of the UK makes it the perfect fit for The Inn Collection Group. and our offering.
“We’re excited to be furthering our expansion plans with such a great site, and are proud to be continuing to thrive during these challenging times for the hospitality sector.”
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The reopening of the hotel will come as a relief to operators of tourist attractions, as well as Ripon City Council, which was concerned that the property might be sold for redevelopment involving other uses.
Ripon Ghost Walk returns for a spooky summer seasonDo you believe in ghosts? Ripon Ghost Walks return this month with more tales to tell about the spooky side of the city.
The performers have been out of action since the pandemic hit, but this month they will dust off their dark robes and get ready to resume the guided tours.
The outdoor walks begin at 7.15pm in the Market Place and last around 90 minutes.
Audiences are taking around the city to explore ancient burial sites, curious bone finds and meet those who lived in the city years ago.
Ghost Walk performer Tony Hirst said:
“It’s great to be back again, we were really keen to get going again. We’ve got lots of stories to tell with a few frights along the way.”
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People must now pre-book tickets for the shows so numbers can be managed.
Six dates are planned for this year with the first taking place on June 24. There will be special events on August 12 for the Museums at Night event and others at Halloween and Christmas time.
The walks were set up in 2015 and later joined with the Ripon Museums to offer more history for the audiences.
The performers are looking for an extra person to join their team. If you have a passion for spooky storytelling and want to get involved, email Tony Hirst on tonyhirst@hotmail.co.uk.
Ripon’s Spa Hotel on verge of being soldOwnership of Ripon’s famous Spa Hotel looks set to change hands.
Colliers International, which has been marketing the 40-bed property since spring, reports it is currently ‘under offer’.
While confirmation of the sale to an unknown buyer is awaited, it remains unclear whether the building will remain as a hotel or be redeveloped for another use.
The Stray Ferret approached Colliers for clarification, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The 16,125 sq ft Edwardian hotel was on the market for £1.5 million.
The hotel and its surrounding grounds.
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The Spa Hotel has been closed since March last year, when the first covid lockdown came into effect.
In July 2020, the long-term owners of the hotel, announced permanent closure after failing to attract an asking price of £1.75 million.
At the reduced price of £1.5 million, it was marketed by Colliers for continued use as a hotel.
The agents’ executive summary of the property said:
“This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire a renowned Yorkshire hotel in a desirable trading location.”
The summary added that the hotel, with its range of public rooms, has enjoyed ‘strong regular repeat custom based on its standing in the Ripon area’.
It has hosted business conferences, banquets, annual lunches and dinners and wedding receptions.
At the height of its popularity, the hotel was achieving net annual turnover of up to £1 million.
Its closure, made it the first major victim of covid in the Ripon tourism sector.
The Old Deanery Hotel, which offered 11 bedrooms, a meeting room and facilities for wedding receptions, subsequently announced its permanent closure.
The collective loss of more than 50 bed spaces raised concerns about the city’s ability to accommodate visitors and tourists staying overnight or for longer periods.
With Ripon’s reliance on tourism, city councillors and tourism bosses have been hopeful that the Spa would reopen as a hotel and not be developed for other purposes.
A Stray Ferret reader, who asked not to be named, said:
“It is so important to Ripon that we know as soon as possible if the hotel is sold.
“Importantly, we need to know if it will continue as a hotel, or if the site is being earmarked for development”.
Former Ripon student to run 48 marathons in 48 daysA former Ripon Grammar School student is to run 48 marathons in 48 days to raise £48,000 for children in food poverty.
John Clark’s own family struggled to survive on benefits, after his father suffered life-changing injuries in a work accident.
The 34-year-old will attempt to run the 48 marathons in a different county every day for a grand total of 1,248 miles.
John Clark from his school days at Ripon Grammar.
Former international strongman Mr Clark set up the charity Miles4Meals to help families facing the same issues that he did as a child.
He explained why he is attempting the extreme feat of endurance:
“I grew up in a household with a disabled father and a mother who was his full-time carer.
“We lived in food poverty, reliant on government support to make ends meet.”
His life changed when his father Alan, a roofer, broke his back and shattered his foot in a fall after scaffolding collapsed.
Mr Clark said:
“I understand the difficulties families face and the hard choices that need to be made with minimal budgets available for basic living expenses.
“I hope to make a difference, so others don’t have to experience the same as I did.”
The coronavirus pandemic has increased problems faced by families across the UK with an estimated 8.4 million people living in food poverty.
Mr Clark, who left Ripon Grammar in 2003, owns and operates a chain of gyms.
He is appealing for volunteers and supporters to help him along the way in their local county, starting in Northumberland on July 5. reaching North Yorkshire on July 16 and eventually finishing in Worcestershire on August 21.
After leaving Ripon Grammar, Mr Clark studied sports and exercise science at university and took up strongman competitions after breaking his neck in a scrum collapse, which left him unable to play rugby.
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Now living in Worcester, he was crowned Britain’s Natural Strongest Man in 2015 and 2016, and when further injury curtailed his strongman career, the former Malvern Rugby Union player took up triathlon.
The Miles4Meals charity, which he set up in May, also works with the Trussell Trust, which campaigns to end hunger and destitution by supporting more than 1,200 food banks in the UK.
For more information visit: www.miles4meals.co.uk/484848. You can follow Mr Clark’s journey on Instagram www.instagram.com/_john.clark
Helipad plan for Grantley Hall set for second refusalA five-star luxury hotel and wedding venue near Ripon looks set to be refused permission to use a helicopter landing pad at the site.
Grantley Hall – an 18th century mansion which opened as a hotel after a £70m refurbishment in 2019 – wants to use an existing helipad to attract top events including luxury car launches and yachting clubs.
But its application has been recommended for refusal at a Harrogate Borough Council meeting on Tuesday.
After a previous application was rejected in March last year, the hotel said it had restricted flights to no more than three a month to address concerns about noise to nearby residents and animals.
It also said it could lose £650,000 in income if the helipad was not made available to the type of clients that it wants to attract.
However, a council planning officer has questioned how the helipad could fetch that much money and said the restricted number of flights would still have too great an impact on the area. The officer said in a report:
“Whilst there are economic benefits to be considered with relation to the local economy, it is not considered that these are sufficient to outweigh the harm created by the proposal.
“Concerns are raised that the content of the business plan does not directly appear to correlate with the small number of flights proposed and it is difficult to assess if the numbers proposed.
“Nor is it considered that the visitors arriving by this manner are likely to be direct spending with other attractions in the area, rather they will fly in and fly out.”
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Nidderdale AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), Grantley and Sawley Parish Council and residents have also objected to the plans, with one local warning the noise from flights would disturb daily lives and nature. Robert Ash said in a letter:
“Grantley is a peaceful village, much-loved for its tranquillity both by residents and visitors. In these days of mindfulness it is very therapeutic to be able to listen to the countryside rather than intrusive helicopters.
“This is a totally unnecessary, self-fulfilling application which should once and for all be rejected.”
Michelin star
As part of its application, Grantley Hall commissioned its own noise impact report, which concluded restricted flight times and paths would mean access to the helipad would be carried out in the “quietest manner”.
However, the reasons for recommending refusal are the impact on the Nidderdale AONB and Studley Royal Park, which is classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well the impact on ecology and biodiversity.
The planning officer’s report added:
“A temporary permission for 12 months would allow for a more robust assessment of the impacts of the proposal and the viability of the proposed number of flights and hours of operation, however, it is considered that without the ability to adequately control the routes of the helicopters that these impacts would be significantly adverse.”
Grantley Hall has 47 rooms and four restaurants, including one with a Michelin star, as well as 30 acres of wooded parkland and grounds.
It was used by West Riding County Council between 1947 and 1974 as an adult education residential college, as well as a training and conference centre by North Yorkshire County Council.
Get set for delays on Ripon bypassEssential maintenance work on Ripon’s Duchess of Kent bridge is scheduled to start on June 28 and take two weeks.
The bridge, crossing the River Ure, is part of the city’s bypass. It was officially opened by the Yorkshire-born duchess in March 1996.
The arterial road carries traffic around the city, avoiding Ripon’s ancient streets. It is a key route to the A1 and A1M
Advance warning signs are being put in place this week to advise drivers of likely delays.
Councillor Mike Chambers, North Yorkshire County Council’s member for Ripon North, said:
“The maintenance to this well-used bridge will involve replacing the expansion joints and surfacing works to remove the depressions at each end of the bridge.
“The work will be carried out overnight to minimise disruption as much as possible. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Work on the bridge will be carried out between 6pm and 6am over a two-week period.
The work will take place from 6pm to 6am using four-way traffic lights and is scheduled to finish on July 10.
At the northern end of the bridge is a roundabout with exits for Ripon city centre and Copt Hewick.
The lights will be removed before rush hour each day to reduce inconvenience to road users.
The council said it was notifying nearby residents directly affected by the roadworks.
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Wedding limit easing boosts hairdressers and beauticiansA beautician in the Harrogate district has welcomed tonight’s government announcement lifting the 30-person cap on weddings.
Deborah Chalmers, who owns Love Hair & Beauty in Ripon, said earlier today she was “hoping and praying” the cap would be lifted amid reports it might remain.
Ms Chalmers said three-quarters of her wedding bookings were for events of 100-plus guests and maintaining the 30-person limit would ruin many couples’ big days — and have financial repercussions for the bridal sector.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson said tonight the cap on the number of people attending weddings and wakes would be lifted, even though other social distancing measures will be extended by four weeks until July 19.
Ms Chalmers said:
“I’m sure that many different providers of services to people getting married will be relieved at this evening’s announcement from the Prime Minister that weddings with more than 30 attendees can go ahead.
“Social distancing measures will remain in place but brides-to-be can now look forward to their big day.
“At the same time, the wedding sector can start getting back on its feet and hopefully make up for lost time and lost revenue.”
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